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DAVIE, Fla. -- Dan Marino returned to the Miami Dolphins as their head of football operations Monday, a team source told The Associated Press.

The surprising move gives the team a popular if inexperienced personnel boss and brings back a record-setting quarterback who was the last to lead Miami to a Super Bowl.

Considered a lock for the Hall of Fame, Marino retired as Dolphins quarterback in 2000 after 17 seasons in which he led Miami to the 1984 AFC championship and became the most prolific passer in NFL history.

Dolphins president Eddie Jones had said the team expected to announce the hiring of a new GM by midweek, after team officials concluded a final interview with Ted Thompson, Seattle's vice president of football operations, on Sunday.

There had been no indication of Marino's interest in the job while the Dolphins interviewed seven candidates in 10 days.

"He went over this morning and met with [team owner Wayne] Huizenga," Marino's wife, Claire, said from the couple's home.

The Dolphins scheduled a 5 p.m. ET news conference.

The Dolphins' hiring process began Jan. 2 with Tampa Bay director of player personnel Tim Ruskell, who was the Bucs' interim GM before that club hired Bruce Allen to permanently fill the role on Friday.

Following Ruskell, other interviewees were former Seattle and New Orleans GM Randy Mueller, Baltimore Ravens director of player personnel Phil Savage, Dolphins senior vice president of football operations Rick Spielman, Hall of Fame receiver and former Dolphin standout Paul Warfield, and New York Giants director of player personnel Jerry Reese.

The job became open when coach Dave Wannstedt was stripped of control over personnel decisions following consecutive seasons where Miami missed the playoffs.

Marino is expected to join the team until after the Super Bowl, when his broadcast duties are complete. He has been working as an NFL TV analyst for CBS and HBO.

Marino owned 25 NFL records outright and shared five others when he left his playing days behind at the age of 38. Among his marks: Leading the league in completions six times, throwing for at least 20 touchdown passes 13 times, throwing at least four touchdown passes in a game 21 times (six in 1984), having 13 400-yard passing games (peaking at 521) and having 13 3,000-yard passing seasons.

Well from the rumblings i'm hearing from friends who live in st. louis and read the paper, fans and some of upper management are considering removing Martz and giving the head coaching job to Lovie Smith. If that happens * I PRAY TO GOD IT DOES*, then Bulger will be benched next season and Lovie will put Warner back in. As said before, Warner wants to play for the Rams and the fans and management are not happy with Martz or Bulger right now.